A Damsel In Distress
by EnglandBabe1997
Summary: It was something she'd seen before. Flutter your eyelashes and smile coyly and the whole world would stop to stare simply because you were a woman. It was more than slightly degrading. Please read and review xx
1. Chapter 1

**Please read and review xx**

It was something she'd seen before. Flutter your eyelashes and smile coyly and the whole world would stop to stare simply because you were a woman.

It was more than slightly degrading. To be honest, it was really offensive, and if she were ten years younger she'd been joining in in all those protests for women's rights.

She was the kind of woman who could be independent and was happy to be, but of there did happen to be a man around it wasn't like she was going to complain.

She was married and she loved him, but she could psychically live without him. That was different to some women who depended on their husbands to remind them to breathe. It wasn't until the children came along that she started to understand.

She could live without him. But the children couldn't.

They needed their father.

When she'd climbed into that box and crawled into a forest on the other side she couldn't quite believe her eyes. It wasn't anything she'd ever imagined.

But still, she had to keep her wits - her children were out there somewhere, with that mad man who sounded so familiar.

When she was accosted by the people with guns she put her best distressed face on. She almost wanted to laugh at the byplay but that would ruin the act. Apparently it was quite good.

But it was 1941 and there was a war on. She was always armed.

This damsel in distress thing was quite degrading but it was definitely helpful.


	2. Chapter 2

**I decided to add a second chapter to this, because I'm adding a second chapter to most of my stories x Please read and review xx**

It was about time that someone understood that women were not just their damsels in distress. She was glad that someone finally had. Even if it was a race of alien sentient trees.

They accepted that at something's women were better than men - even the Caretaker, who certainly seemed to know more about what was going on than she did. To be honest, the entire excursion fully confused her, even if it did bring them closer together as a family. Most of this stuff shouldn't exist, and therefore should _not_ be happening. Maybe she'd drunk too much sherry the night before. After all it was Christmas.

And maybe not.

Alien sentient trees.

Okay, she could deal with that - as long as her children were safe. She had a gun.

But them respecting _her_, respecting her as a mother. That was something that had never happened before, and she'd never expected it to.

But it had happened - it had happened, and she'd stayed strong, and mostly calm.

Women didn't just have to be the damsels in distress - they could be the Knights in shining armour as well.

But she wouldn't mind all that much if she never had to do that again. There were much better ways to spend Christmas Day. With family. Not being chased around a forest that shouldn't exist in completely the wrong century.

Yes, next Christmas they would be staying at home.


	3. Chapter 3

Her Space Angel, the Caretaker, the Doctor, whatever he chose to call himself, looked honestly conflicted about what to do.

He looked lost.

Despite the ancient knowledge in his eyes, everything that Madge could see even from this distance, the sheer knowledge he'd known whilst they'd been on their little adventure, he looked lost now, not knowing what to do on Christmas.

Wasn't it obvious?

The first thing you did on Christmas was go to see your family. There were no conditions on that.

And she told him so, firmly.

Her heart just about broke when he told her that he had no family, no home to go to on Christmas. No one should be alone, but especially not at Christmas.

So she invited him to stay for lunch - after all he had saved all their lives and she was sure that the children would love to see him for a little while longer. Madge got this strange feeling that when he left he wouldn't be coming back.

And her Space Angel said no. He _wanted_ to be alone on Christmas, it seemed.

A Knight in armour couldn't rescue every damsel in distress, even if this distress was Christmas lunch and the armour Madge's cooking apron. Not everyone wanted to be saved, wanted that little helping hand.

She couldn't do more than she already had.

But she wished she could. That would be her Christmas wish for her Space Angel.


	4. Chapter 4

It's barely five minutes later than she hears that awful grinding sound again, and there is a blue box materialising in the living room. The Caretaker bounds out, in an entirely different mood to the one he left in.

"Rule one Madge, the Doctor lies!"

She doesn't know what one Earth he's talking about, but it's not exactly the first time. She'll get by.

But he reads the confusion in her face and continues, "I do have family. I have a wife and the in-laws."

Madge gives him a stern look. He was willing to leave them on Christmas?

Her Space Angel actually looks chastised, his eyes moving to the floor. "They thought I was dead."

She glares at him for that, abandoning his family - leaving them to think of him as dead. What sort of man does this? But the slight smile on his face and the fact he came back tells her that he's been to see them, though she'd doesn't know how in the space of five minutes - but she's seen many things today, many of them out of her son's science fiction novels, so she would be surprised if this could travel in time.

Her Space Angel thanks her, though what for she doesn't know.

And then he gives her one last smile before disappearing off into the blue box, which vanishes loudly.

Madge smiles to herself. She doesn't like being the damsel in distress but she doesn't like being the Knight in shining armour either. However on this day she's perfectly happy to be both.


End file.
